


cast aside your auguries

by AwayLaughing



Series: lines of descent [14]
Category: Naruto
Genre: And Hanabi's Having None of It, Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, No Angst, Promises, Sisters, The Hyuuga Clan is a Tragedy, well okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-07 16:09:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17369117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: Sometimes loving your big sister isn't an act of defiance, except for that it has to be.(or, Hyuuga Hanabi and the Midnight Promise)





	cast aside your auguries

Hanabi crept down the hall, keeping an eye out for Riku or worse, grandfather. It was fairly late as she’d been sent to be two hours ago so he was likely asleep but _still_. Neji-nii was more likely to catch her, if he was even home, but if he did he wouldn’t do anything. He tried to avoid her even more than he avoided Hinata. She didn’t know why – maybe he was worried about cooties? Riku said you couldn’t get them from cousins and siblings but maybe no one had thought to tell Neji-nii that.

 

Or, maybe he just didn’t like them.

 

Either way, no one caught her as she made her way across tatami floors, and finally she was able to slide a door back, slipping into a dark room.

 

“Neesama,” she said, barely remembering to whisper. “Are you awake?”

 

“Hanabi-chan?” Hinata said, sounding a little sleepy but not like she’d been asleep. “Did you have a bad dream?”

 

“No,” Hanabi said, closing the door behind her. Quietly. “I just had to wait to sneak in! I wanted to talk to you.”

 

“What about?” Hinata asked. A moment later a light flicked on, and Hanabi giggled to see Hinata’s hair sleep mussed and silly looking.

 

“You!” she said, jumping onto the bed. “You’re getting a genin team tomorrow aren’t you excited!”

 

“Of course I am,” Hinata said, lifting the blankets so Hanabi could join her. “I was hoping...” she sighed. “Never mind. Why did you want to know about my genin team?”

 

“Becauuuuuse,” Hanabi said, “you’re gonna go do all the stuff and make new friends and go places! It’s gonna be fun.” And she was going to be gone all the time, like Neji-nii.

 

Hinata giggled, pulling her into a side hug. “I won't do everything grown up ninja do, I’m just a genin,” she said. “It will be silly things like walking dogs and painting fences.”

 

“I could help with those!” Hanabi said. Then she sighed, “otousama probably wouldn't let me, though. He won’t let me join the academy next week.”

 

“I know,” Hinata said, resting her cheek on Hanabi’s head, “I’m sorry Hanabi-chan. Okaasama would have let you.”

 

“I wish she was here to tell him he’s being stupid,” Hanabi grumbled, “it’s _boring_ being alone all the time!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Hinata said. Hanabi looked up at that – Hinata had her _being stupid_ face on. All sad and sorry about things that weren’t her fault.

 

“Why? Otousama doesn’t listen to you any more than me,” she said. “I did ask Neji-nii to tell him.”

 

Hinata laughed at that, a surprised sound. “Did you really, what did he say?”

 

“To tell him myself,” Hanabi said. “Neji-nii is not a very good big brother, Hinata-neesama.”

 

“Neji-nii would get in a lot of trouble if spoke like that to otousama,” Hinata said. “More than you or I.”

 

Hanabi knew that, she did, but she didn’t really get it. Neji-nii didn’t seem _that_ different – but grandfather said he was. Father said it was complicated, which was grown up for ‘I don’t want to talk about it’.

 

“Hey neesama?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Why are you sorry?”

 

“...because I should be the one they put all the pressure on, who has to stay home and do the boring stuff,” Hinata said. “But...I’m not.” Hanabi frowned, not understanding. “What have people told you about Hizashi-jisama?”

 

Not much. Riku called Hizashi-jisama _a sensative topic_ was was another form of being complicated but this time it was because it made people sad. “He’s Neji-nii’s otousama.”

 

“And otousama’s twin brother,” Hinata said, surprising her. “Otousama is the eldest, and so even though they’re twins they made him heir. Hizashi-jisama became Branch.”

 

“What?” she asked, sitting up straighter. “But they’re brothers!”

 

“I know,” Hinata said.

 

“Does – does that mean...” she touched her forehead – and then Hinata’s. “Neesama do they want to brand one of us?”

 

“Not you, Hana-chan,” she said, “just me don’t wor-”

 

“NO!” Hanabi said, jumping to her knees. “No! I won’t let them!”

 

“Hanabi,” Hinata said, eyes darting tot he door. “Shh, we don’t want to wake anyone.”

 

“I don’t care they _can’t_. We’re sisters we’re the same!”

 

“Hanabi please,” Hinata said. “And otousama won’t let them – there have been lots of fights so don’t worry. I’m just sorry I couldn’t be a good big sister and take all the work. I know Yachiru-sensei can be...” even though they were alone she looked around like she was about getting caught, "stuffy and it's not very fun."

 

Hanabi stared for a moment – and then threw herself into Hinata’s arms. “Don’t be stupid! I like all the stuff. I learn lots of tricks for talking to people and yesterday we went to a dusty old archive,” her voice dropped, “I found naughty pictures! They looked funny.”

 

“Hanabi!” Hinata cried, but there was a laugh in her voice.

 

“Yachiru-sensei turned red when I showed him,” she added. “But then he told me the story about why the archive kept them. I just wish I could have friends like you’re gonna have.”

 

Hinata sighed. “I do too,” she said. “You really don’t mind the classes?”

 

“Nope,” Hanabi said. “When I get bored Yachiru-sensei lets me spar. Or go on a run but I don’t like that as much. Didn’t you like them?”

 

“Not really,” Hinata said. “I-I found Yachiru-sensei..." she trailed off again.

 

"Scary?" Hanabi suggested. Yachiru-sensei was excitable, Riku said, which meant loud sometimes and Hinata liked when people were quiet.

 

"...just a lot," Hinata said, turning red. "But I liked school even if Iruka-sensei yelled sometimes. The school library credit is good for every open archive in the village. I’ll miss it,” she said.

 

Hanabi nodded, thinking. “Hey neesama? We should make a promise.”

 

“What sort?”

 

“That we’ll both do the things we love! I’ll do all the heir stuff even the boring bits and then I’ll be head and you won’t be branded – and we can get rid of Neji-nii’s too! Even if he’s grumpy. And you can visit all the libraries everywhere!”

 

Hinata was quiet for a moment – and Hanabi noticed her eyes were shiny. She was smiling though, and not red anymore though maybe a little pink. “Hanabi-chan that sounds really great,” she said, voice all quiet. “I’d like that.”

 

“Then promise,” Hanabi said, offering her pinky. Hinata was still so long Hanabi was worried she wouldn’t – but finally she reached out.

 

“Promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Say it with me: sisterssssss
> 
> A reprieve from your hectically and randomly posted Hyuuga angst to enjoy Hyuuga Hanabi plotting out her life plan at age 7, on a whim.


End file.
